Awareness Day
World Lymphoma Day - Sunday 15th September 2024
Lymphoma is a cancer of the lymphatic system. It develops when blood cells called lymphocytes become abnormal.
Normal lymphocytes fight infection. They are part of the lymphatic system. This is the system that helps protect your body from infection and disease. It is made up of fine tubes connected to groups of small lymph nodes throughout the body.
How lymphoma develops and the treatment you may need depends on the type of lymphoma. The 2 main types are:
There are also sub-types of lymphoma within these 2 main types. A doctor can only find out the type of lymphoma you have by collecting some lymphoma cells and testing them in a laboratory. If the sample contains a type of cell called Reed-Sternberg cells, the lymphoma is usually Hodgkin lymphoma. If there are no Reed-Sternberg cells, it is non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
The most common symptom of lymphoma is a painless swelling in the neck, armpit or groin.
